DACS supports Keep Your Copyright Campaign
We are announcing our support of the Association of Illustrator’s Keep Your Copyright campaign, encouraging illustrators to protect their copyright and autonomy over their work.
At DACS we are proud to campaign for the rights of artists, and that includes helping them obtain the copyright revenues they deserve. This is why we are supporting AOI’s Keep Your Copyright campaign.
About the campaign
According to AOI, “34% of illustrators say they don’t have a good understanding of licensing, and 44% don’t feel confident negotiating contract terms with clients.”
It’s never been more important for artists – including illustrators – to do everything in their power to protect their copyright and retain autonomy over their work. Unfortunately, illustrators are increasingly being asked to sign away their copyright, with more commissioners asking for a copyright assignment as part of their contracts instead of licensing.
Campaign objectives
- protect licensing-based industries
- create an open dialogue with commissioners, clients and illustrators, around the importance of copyright and licensing,
- reduce the number of copyright assignments across the illustration industry, and encourage creators to retain the copyright in their work.
- make information about copyright and licensing accessible to everyone
Take a look at AOI’s Keep Your Copyright toolkit on their website, which includes resources on copyright assignments and how to licence illustration work, newsletters and special events.
Creators, show your support on social media by posting #KeepYourCopyright
Keep your copyright and claim royalties
If you keep your copyright, it means you can also claim your share of Payback royalties from DACS. Payback pays royalties to all kinds of visual artists including photographers and illustrators whose work has been published in books, magazines or on tv. As long as you own the copyright in your work you can claim Payback.
It’s worth it - thousands of artists claiming in 2021 received a share of £5.6 million with individual payments of up to £450 for books and magazines and up to £3000 when also claiming for TV.
These are in addition to other copyright royalties you may have already received because Payback covers secondary uses of your images, such as photocopying.
Find out more here and sign up by 25th February to claim your share of royalties.
